Improvement in gas-regulators



C. A. FENN & R. GROE'NINGER.

GAS-REGULATOR.

Patented Dec. 26,1876.

INVENTEIHS.

ATTEEI'T.

THE GRAPHIC OILNM UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

CHARLES A. FENN AND RUDOLPH GROENINGER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAS-REGULATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,736., datedDecember 26, 1876; application filed October 4, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES A. FENN andRUDOLPH GROENINGER, both of the city and county of St. Louis, and Stateof Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGas-Regulators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification.

Our invention relates to that class of gasregulators in which the gas isreceived into a chamber beneath a flexible diaphragm, to whose center isattached the stem of a valve by which the flow of gas is regulated, thepressure of the gas beneath the diaphragm tending to close the valve,and thus the valveport, through which the gas enters this chamber, ismade smaller on an increase of pressure in the body of the gas, so thatthe pressure of the gas in the chamber between the valve and thediaphragm is kept nearly equal when the gas is passing through theburners, because the valve-port is kept open to the proper degree toallow the necessary amount of gas to pass through to supply the burnerswith gas at the desired pressure, whatever changes may take place in thepressure of the gas in the main pipes.

The pressure upon the burners is adjusted, as may be desired, by loadingthe valve-stem with the required weight, (an increase of weight causingan increase of said pressure.)

It is necessary to perfect working that the diaphragm should possessgreat flexibility, so that it will rise and fall with freedom on anyincrease or decrease of pressure beneath it, and owing to itsflexibility the diaphragm cannot be depended upon to form any part ofthe valve-stem guide; and as, to insure good results, it is necessarythat the valve should always be parallel with the valve-seat, we haveprovided guides at both top and bottom of the stem, the latter of whichacts as a stop to the valve in its downward movement, and prevents thestretching of the diaphragm by the weight of the stem, in the absence ofpressure beneath the diaphragm. This guidestop also prevents the valvefrom descending to the bottom of the valve-chamber, and 010s ing orpartly closing the induction-opening.

The upper valve-stem guide is made in the removable cover, and has anarrangement for holding the valve down and inoperative, so that thevalue of the regulator may be demonstrated, by burning the gas for atime with the regulator inactive, and for a similar or proportionatetime with the regulator in operation. This arrangement consists of a pinwhich is pa sed transversely into the guidesocket over the top of thevalve-stem, and holds it down in such a position as to form noobstruction of consequence to the passage of gas. The combination ofthese valve-stem guides with the valve-stem and diaphragm constitutesone part of our invention. Such guides are necessary to insure theproper action of the parts when the regulator may be in a positionsomewhat inclined from the vertical.

Another part of our invention consists in the device for locking thecover. In this, around the inside of the top of the case, is a rib orinturned flange, notched at each side, to allow the downward passage ofa lockinglug and spring-catch, respectively. These extend outwardlybeneath the rib or flange when the lid is turned to its lockingposition, and as the lid is being turned into this position thespringcatch is sprung downward by the inclined lower side of the flange,and springs upward into a notch at the bottom of the rib, to prevent thelid from being turned either backward or forward until the catch issprung down, which is done by a push-pin passed down through a hole inthe lid. This hole is one of a number of holes which are in the lid toallow free communication between the chamber above the diaphragm and theouter air.

In the drawings, Figure l is an axial section of the regulator. Fig. 2is an under perspective view of the lid. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe top of the case. Fig. 4 is a side view of part of the valve-stem,showing the coupling in section. Fig. 5 is a side view of part of thevalve-stem, showing the valve in section.

The apparatus has a case consisting of an upper part, A, and a lowerpart, B, attached together by flanges a b, with screws 0. The lowerpart, B, has at bottom a screw-threaded neck, D, in which screws thevalve-chamber tube E, that forms the coupling between the gas-supplypipe F and the case A B. G is a bar extending diametrically across thevalve chamber, through which (har) passes the lower end of thevalve-stem H, the bar forming the lower guide of the stem, and also astop to limit the descent of the valve I, so that no undue strain shallcomeon the flexible diaphragm J. It is necessary that the diaphragmshould have great flexibility to insure the proper freedom of action,and it is important that it should not he subjected to any undue strain,which would stretch it and impair its action. The valve itself, or theupper guide, may limit the upper movement of the valve. The diaphragmconsists of a disk of leather specially prepared for this purpose.

The outer edge of the diaphragm is clamped between the flanges a. b,which are tightly held together by screws 0, so as to form an airtightjoint. The inner corners a b of the parts A and B are rounded, so as toprevent the bending of the diaphragm in a sharp angle, (at this point,)wh ch would cause it to crack, and in time to leak gas through into theupper chamber.

The diaphragm is coupled to the valvestem by the following means: Thevalvestem is divided into two parts, one, H, extending upward from thediaphragm J, and the other extending downward therefrom. At the upperend of the lower portion H is a collar, h, having a rib, JP, and abovethis collar is a screw, h, made in one piece with H. This screw screwsinto the lower end of the portion H. At thelower end of H isa collar, h,having an annular groove, h, between which and that h the central partof the diaphragm J is held, the screw h passing through the center ofthe diaphragm. This construction makes a tight joint, as any gasescaping would have first to pass through between the collar h and thediaphragm, and then between the collar h and the diaphragm, and this itcould not do; whereas with the joint as heretofore made when thediaphragm is held with one or two nuts on the stem, the gas is liable toleak through at the screwthread. The edges of the collars or flanges h hare rounded where they clamp the diaphragm, so as to prevent thecracking of the leather by causing it to bend with a sharp angle.

The lower portion [:1 of the valve-stem is screw-threaded at H, and onthis part screws the valve I, so as to be easily adjusted in height uponthe stem, as may be found necessary, the adjustment being made by accessto the valve from beneath without taking the machine to pieces, furtherthan unscrewing the valve-chamber tube. The part B of the case increasesin diameter upward, so that as the gas enters through the valve-port itmay act equally on all parts of the diaphragm.

The sides of the part A are made nearly upright, so as to give a wideopening and free access to all parts of the upper side of the diaphragmwhen the lid or cover N is removed. This free access to the diaphragm isof the utmost importance, as it is necessary that the diaphragm shouldbe examined at intervals and cleaned from dust, &c., and lubricated, soas to keep it in a thoroughly flexible condition, to insure regularityof action at all times. In machines of this kind, in which the upperopening of the case. is contracted in size, or the top of the diaphragmpartly covered by a plate, the required freedom of access to thediaphragm cannot be had. The upper edge of part A of the case has aninturned flange, O, which is notched through at opposite sides at 0 ofor the downward passage of the catches by which the lid is held down.The lid has a downwardly-extending circular rib, N, which fits insidethe flange O of the case, and theedge of the lid lies on top of thecase. P is a lug, extending outwardly from the rib N and engagingbeneath the flange 0 when the lid is turned, so as to lock it inposition. Q is a straight spring extending radially beneath the lid, andengag' ing, like lug P, beneath the flange 0 when the lid is turned intothe locking position, the lug P and spring Q holding the lid down byengagement beneath the flange O.

In putting the lid in place it is placed vertically on the case with thevalve-stem in its upper guide (socket), and with the lug P and spring Qin such position as to descend through their notches 0 o. The lid isthen turned so that the spring Q will be sprung down by passing beneaththe incline 0 and will catch in the notch 0 and the lid can then beneither raised upward nor turned in either direction without pushingdown the spring, which requires some force, and which can only be doneby one acquainted with the construction of the fastening and manner ofreleasing it.

In the cover are a number of holes, n, al' lowing free access of theouter air to the chamber above the diaphragm, and by introducing apush-pin into the proper one of these holes the spring can be pusheddown to disengage it from the notch o, and then the lid can be turnedaround into such a position that the spring Q and lug P can pass upthrough the notch o o, and the lid be lifted from the case.

At the center of the lid-is the socket R, open at the bottom to allowthe entrance of the top of the valve-stem, to which it forms the upperguides, and closed at top, so that the valve-stem cannot be manipulatedwhen the regulator is intact and the lid looked upon it. The socket Rhas a diamctric hole, 1', to receive a pin, 1", which may be put inabove the top of the valve-stem to hold the stem down, and the valvedown from its seat I, when it is desired that the regulator shall beinactive.

This is used chiefly for the purpose of proving the valve of theregulator, by testing as to the quantity of gas used when the regulatoris inactive, relatively to the amount used when it is in activeoperation.

The gas enters the chamber beneath the diaphragm through the pipeF andvalve-port and escapes through the orifice S to the gasburners.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, with the two-part case AB and flexible diaphragm J, of the two-part valve-rod H H rigid guides RG, and valve I, the guide G with the valve I and its rod H adapted toform a support to the diaphragm, as and for the purpose set forth.

